(UTV | COLOMBO) – The FBI sought information about readers of an online article as part of an investigation, it has emerged.
The agency demanded the newspaper USA Today hand over records on who had read an article about the killing of two FBI agents.
The newspaper’s owner is resisting the request and asked a judge to quash the demand.
It says the FBI’s demand is a “clear violation” of protections to press freedom.
The FBI issued a subpoena – an order to submit evidence – to USA Today’s owner Gannett, asking it for information about anyone who clicked on an article published in February about the fatal shooting of two of the bureau’s agents in Florida.
The subpoena sought the IP addresses and phone numbers for readers of the piece during a 35-minute window. IP addresses can be used to find a computer’s location and owner.
“The information sought through this subpoena relates to a federal criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI,” the order reads.
